Harold of the End
by smfah1113
Summary: This is the prequel/origin of everything in the Star Wars universe.   Six humans left a dying Earth in hopes of finding a new home in a new galaxy. Enjoy   Please R&R, so I can improve my writing.   ***Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars franchise***
1. The Crash

Prelude

The night was cool and calm as usual, but this night was far from normal. From space, it looked like massive urban centers clamped onto the surface in great circular rings; however, these were no cities. They were, in fact, immense rock outcroppings, etched into the planet's surface by some unknown process. The majority of the planet was covered by thick forests, teaming with unique life.

The fireball that changed everything streaked across the sky, roaring as it flew. Six smaller fireballs followed it. The light turned, only for a moment, the night into day, waking many of the indigenous life forms. In a terrible instant, the mysterious object exploded into a million pieces which scattered for miles.

Debris scorched the ground and lit trees on fire. After a few moments, the calamity died down.

The three moons gleamed in the night sky, and all was well again, or was it?


	2. Echoes in the Night

***Note: The misspelling of "herald" in the title is quite intentional.***

Chapter 1

Sammi's head was pounding. She wiped the blood off her forehead. Her vision was blurry, and she could tell she'd broken several bones. "Great," she mused. "HELP!" She shouted into the night, but she was met by silence. "Well this blows. I'll probably freaking die out here!" She felt around for her sidearm. "Gotcha." She winced as she pulled the gun out from under her leg. She was lying on her side, and she figured her leg was probably one of the many broken bones. "Totally worth the pain." She shot the gun into the air. "Someone must've heard that.

Michael coughed as he regained consciousness. He was somewhere damp. A bog? No…it didn't smell bad enough. Before he could even think, whatever was below him gave way, and he plummeted like a rock toward the ground. _Crunch!_ His body crumpled when he hit the moss carpeted forest floor. The three moons thoroughly illuminated his surroundings. A cold drop of water fell on his face. "Rainforest," he said quietly. His analytical brain kicked in, and he began thinking about how he could use the forest's resources, but he couldn't over-exploit them. His life on Earth taught him that lesson well. It pained him to think that everyone he ever knew back home was surely dead by now. He pushed those thoughts aside, and he checked his body for wounds. Fortunately, he made it through the crash unscathed. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ "The hell?" Michael said, his ears perking up.

Tessa swung the wrench through the air again; it contacted another piece of metal with a loud clang. "Finally!" She shouted. Darkness surrounded her like an impenetrable fog. The walls of the sinkhole blocked the light from the moons. Tessa felt around the cool metal surface. She pulled a handle, and a door hissed open, spilling white light out into the darkness. Tessa dashed into the structure, afraid of what creatures were lurking in the dark.

"Welcome," a computerized voice said.

"Oh shut it Harold," Tessa said to the computer, her voice heavily accented.

"Where are the others?" The computer wasn't often adamant about things, but when it came to the survival of its creators, it cared a great deal.

"I don't know, but I need you to help me find them, and you can't do that if you're talking to me. You're a bloody idiot Harold." Tessa threw the wrench into a dark corner, and she heard it hit something soft. She spun around, and her blood curdling scream echoed through the sinkhole.

To be continued…


	3. Shadows, Water, and Fire

Chapter 2

This should've been posted a while back, but somehow I skipped it. It doesn't add much to the story, but it's a nice little snippet to tide you over to my next update.

Shadows, Water, and Fire

"Who's down there?" Julian yelled when he heard the scream coming from the sinkhole. He sat in silence for a moment, listening to the silence. Julian could barely see the spec of white light at the bottom of the sinkhole. He heard something move behind him, and he froze, his heart beating at the speed of light. The sound of shallow breathing moved closer to him. Cold sticky arms wrapped around him, and a pair of sharp fangs sunk into his shoulder. He cried out, but it did him no good. He lost consciousness quickly and was dragged off. The alien venom filled his veins. It slowly reached his brain where it began to mess with his neural chemistry. Distorted memories of the past day played in his mind.

"We're slowing down!" someone with a British accent yelled. Julian knew who she was, but he just couldn't remember what she was doing. There were four other people.

"Smile!" Julian said, pointing a camera at them. The memory became fuzzy, and Julian's brain shut down completely.

Alexys gasped for air as her escape pod filled with water. At first, she was thankful it had impacted the water, but she reconsidered when it started to sink. She pounded furiously at the console, trying to open the hatch, but the controls were burnt up. The water reached her neck, and she took one final breath. Just before blacking out, she saw something swimming toward her pod. The water distorted the moonlight, making it impossible to make out any distinct features on the creature swimming toward her. She used every last ounce of strength she had to pound at the glass, hoping the thing would be able to help her.

Scorching fires blazed around Brian. He desperately tried pushing his way out of the wreckage, but he was wedged in. Tongues of fire lapped at his skin, singing the hairs on his arms. The heat was overwhelming. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Brian glanced down at the console in front of him. An indicator light was blinking. "Sh—."

To Be Continued…


	4. In the End

Chapter 3

In the End

"I wondered when one of you would find me!" Sammi yelled at Michael as he approached the wreckage. "Well don't just stand there you dolt. Get me the hell out of here!" Michael stared straight over Sammi's head at a figure standing near the wreckage. "The hell is that?" Sammi asked, noticing the creature. She raised her gun.

"Wait," Michael said. "Maybe we can communicate with it."

"Always the diplomat," Sammi sighed, rolling her eyes and lowering her gun. Michael tried to approach the thing, but it dashed off before he could get close. "Well that didn't work. So can you get me outta here now?"

"Uh…yeah…sure," Michael said, staring off into the distance. He began to pull pieces of metal out of the escape pod. "Oh this is bad," Michael said, his eyes widening.

"What?" Sammi sounded worried.

"The main support frame is on top of your legs. I can't get you out."

"Fabulous."

Tessa cautiously approached the glowing orbs that were staring at her from the dark corner. As she got closer, she was able to make out the form of some alien creature. Her jaw dropped. Tessa could hear the organism breathing. She reached her hand out, and the creature snapped at her with its vicious fangs. Tessa yanked her hand back. "Harold!" she said. "What is this thing?"

"I am unable to identify the organism."

"Can you restrain it or something? I'm sure Brian would love to get a peek at this thing. Not to mention Alexys." A metal restraining bar locked itself around the creature's waist. It hissed loudly. "Sorry love. We're supposed to analyze any alien life we see."

"I have just received a transmission from Earth," Harold said.

"What?" Tessa whirled around. "How long ago did they send it?"

"The message was sent approximately twenty years ago."

"Play it for me." A screen descended from the ceiling, and a message began to play.

A woman appeared on the screen. Her thin hair was pulled back into a bun. Her gaunt face was fearful and distressed. Her voice was raspy and weak.

"I don't know how much more time we have. The last filter went out this morning. People are panicking. You're probably on the outer edge of the new galaxy by now. When you get this message, everyone on Earth will most likely be dead." She coughed. "Give me a damn respirator," she said to someone off-camera. She placed a plastic cup over her mouth and took a deep breath. "I—If possible, when you arrive, send a message using Harold's Subspace Transceiver. There may be a chance there is still life here that you can save. Nonetheless, execute the Regenesis Plan." She coughed again, and the transmission ended.

"That woman is bloody crazy. Does she really think there will be life left on Earth by now," Tessa yelled. "Harold, let me into the genetics lab." A door opened to Tessa's left. She cautiously stepped around the mystery creature. "Might as well get started on this," she said to herself, scrutinizing the thousands of test tubes.

Julian's mind began acting up again. This time it seemed more like a flash-forward.

"Father," a girl said. Julian instinctively knew her name: Katherine.

"Yes darling?" He said, setting his book down on the table next to him.

"What is Earth?" she said, her voice heavy with curiosity.

"A place we don't talk about any more. This is home now."

"Tell me what Earth is!" Katherine demanded, her features becoming haggard and gaunt. Julian could sense the rage boiling within her.

"Earth isn't real." Julian spat out the words before realizing how false they were.

"You liar!" Katherine's voice changed. It was throaty and grating. Her body began to change as well. Julian shut his eyes and took refuge in the recluses of his mind.

Alexys was soaking wet. She had no clue where she was, and all she could hear was raspy and shallow breathing coming from something near her. She could only remember blacking out in the escape pod. The breathing moved closer to her, and she panicked. She thrashed and kicked as the slimy creature brushed against her exposed side.

A deafening explosion shattered the silence of the night. Brian's escape pod was gone. All that was left was a black streak on the ground. Forest creatures rustled around at the sound of the explosion, but they quickly settled again. The night was full of surprises…


	5. Dawn

Chapter Four

Dawn

The sun poked above the horizon, glowing red as it began to rise. Noises erupted from the forest as animals awoke. Alexys's eyes shot open. The golden sunlight warmed her cold and wet skin. "Great," she said to herself. There was no way she was going to walk around all day in warm clothes. "No people out here right, so no one to see this." She ripped off her clothes. Scanning the area around her, she noticed a column of smoke rising from the ground about a mile away from her. She tossed her wet clothes on the ground and ran off toward the smoke.

Her body ached, and there was a nasty bruise on her thigh. A sharp pain shot up her leg, and she fell to the ground. Glancing down, she saw a large bloody gash running straight up her calf. Upon closer examination, she found the cause of the wound. A piece of metal was embedded in her skin just below her knee. She nearly passed out at the sight of the blood, but she had to keep going. She knew something important was associated with that smoke.

The hours of the night passed quickly for Tessa. She spent the night classifying the different gene samples. "The population will be perfect!" she said with a smile. A shriek broke the pristine silence. "The bloody hell was that?" Tessa said, turning around. She walked out into the main room and found the strange creature writhing in the morning sunlight. Its skin was sizzling. "Vampire eh?" She shut the blinds, and the creature's pain stopped. "Sure is fortunate that I need you alive darling." She winked and walked back into the Gene Lab. "You two will go great together," she said, reaching for two test tubes. She used droppers to extract a portion of the tubes' contents. After pulling a dish from the rack and placing the gene samples in it, she gently set the dish in an incubator. "Julian doesn't need to know about this Harold."

"Sammi!" Michael yelled. "You need to stay with me!"

"Mmmmf," Sammi groaned, her eyes shutting slowly. Michael smacked her face, but she didn't budge.

"No! Sammi!" A tear rolled down Michael's face. His mind buzzed with thoughts. Was she going to be alright? What could he have done differently? How long did he have before she couldn't wake from the coma.

"Michael is that you?" someone shouted. Michael looked up, and he saw a figure lumbering toward him.

"Am I hallucinating?" Michael said to himself.

"No you idiot," the person said, collapsing on the ground next to Michael. "Get this piece of metal out of my leg. Well don't just stand there!"

Michael looked at Alexys quizzically. He bent down and looked at her leg. "I don't think that's the best idea. The metal is keeping a vein shut. If I pull it out, you'll bleed to death."

"Well jus-." Alexys's head dropped. Another salty tear ran down Michael's face.

"Help! Somebody!" he shouted. Nothing. That wasn't a surprise. No one was close enough to hear his desperate cries for help. Without giving it a second thought, he dashed off toward the forest.


	6. The Settlers' Ball

In this chapter, I will indulge you with a little "flash-forward." How far forward you ask? 50 years to be exact. Please let me know if you would like to see more flash-forwards in the future.

Chapter Five

The Settlers' Ball

"Attention please," Tessa said, clinking a glass with her spoon. Her voice was papery and weighted with her wisdom. The room quickly feel silent; the floor creaked as people turned to face Tessa. She cleared her throat and began to speak. "Welcome to the first ever Settlers' Ball. We hope that this will become an annual tradition. Now, to continue with this presentation, my daughter, Katherine." Tessa clapped and stepped aside. Katherine's auburn hair glowed in the evening sunlight.

"Good evening everyone. Fifty years ago, six intrepid colonists crash landed on this planet. Unfortunately, only one is left today, and that is my mother, but the others are still here with us in spirit." She smiled as the audience of about 100 clapped. "Behind me here is a statue commemorating the original landing of the settlers." Katherine tugged on a rope, and a curtain fell off of a massive alabaster statue. It depicted the six settlers and their ship behind them. "We have also, with the help of Harold, decided on a name for our humble settlement here." Katherine paused, creating suspense. "Ladies and gentlemen. I present to you: New Paris." She couldn't help but smile. No one alive except her mother had seen the real Paris, and it was probably better that way. From what Katherine knew, this small town of mismatched log buildings would never live up to the glory of the gleaming city of Paris.

Katherine glanced out the window at the croissant shop across the street, and a strange feeling swept over her. Her eyes widened as an ominous shadow crept over the settlement.

"Oh bloody hell," Tessa said, drawing everyone's attention. Several of the men stood up, grasping their rifles. They cautiously walked out the door and stood up.

"Everyone get to the bunker!" one of them shouted. Panic quickly ensued. Women shrieked, grabbed their children, and clung to their husbands.

"Damon!" Tessa said, grabbing the man who yelled by the arm.

"Yes ma'am," he said shamefully.

"Make sure these people get to safety. I'll go to Harold and see if I can figure out what this thing is," Tessa said sternly. "Now go!"

Damon ran off with the crowd of people toward the hills east of the settlement. Tessa gathered up her skirt and dashed off toward the town center. When she reached the fountain, she shut off the water. The shadow got darker, making all the buildings look dismal and macabre. Once the water drained, a set of stairs revealed itself. Carefully, she climbed over the edge of the fountain and walked down the stairs.

"Harold!" she said, reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes ma'am," the computer responded.

"What is that-." She was cut off by a sudden flash of light. Two green eyed aliens materialized in front of her. "Dammit… now look boys," she said as calmly as she could. "We agreed that you wouldn't come back here for another 50 years."

"The terms of our agreement have changed," one of the aliens said in a harsh, guttural voice, pulling out an energy weapon.

"Wait don-." Tessa didn't finish her sentence before she was shot square in the chest by a ball of energy.

Sorry to leave you guys hanging again, but I promise this will be continued….eventually.


	7. Something Soft

I'm just evil aren't I? Build you up to continue the flash-forward, but now it's back to the present.

Chapter 6

Something Soft

"Hmmm." Tessa rubbed her chin. "What should I call you? Harold," she began. "What should I call this new baby?" She examined the small cluster of cells that had already formed in the small plate.

"I do not believe I am qualified to name children," Harold responded in its cool computerized voice.

"Of course not," Tessa said, her voice weighted with frustration. "How about… Damon?"

"That is a satisfactory name."

"Satisfactory. This is important. I can't go around giving these children wishy washy names. I think we need to rewrite your programming to include naming software."

"Tampering with my systems is a bad idea. If I may ask, how long has it been since you slept?"

"Now you're my bloody doctor too." Tessa paused. "You're right. It has been a while hasn't it. Make sure you watch this thing. Don't let it leave," she said, pointing to the creature in the corner. "Oh if any of the others survived, don't let them in the genetics lab if they show up."

Julian found himself lying in a black room. At least he thought it was a room. Strange noises filled it, but they seemed to be coming from outside. He could make out several distinct noises. One was a consistent pulsing noise. That one didn't seem to bother Julian too much. But then there was the scraping, the pounding, and the banging. It sounded as though something was trying to break into the black room. He found a wall of the room. Reaching out and touching it, he discovered that it was wet and slimy. Out of instinct, he put his ear up to the wall. Through it, he could hear raspy breathing.

"You can't hide from us for long. Your mind is feeble and easily manipulated. It won't be much longer before you are compliant," a shrill voice said. Julian stumbled backwards in terror.

Michael ran, tears brimming in his eyes. He could barely see. All of the trees and shrubs blended together in a misty blur. His foot hit something soft, and he tripped. Dirt and leaves filled his mouth. The damp smell of a cave filled his nostrils. He wiped the dirt and tears off his face. Crouching and turning around, he saw what he tripped on. It was Julian's body.

"Not another one!" He was seriously reconsidering his decision to join this expedition. It started off great. Everyone was alive and not stuck under piles of metal. He couldn't think about Sammi now. Julian was the only one who mattered in this moment. Michael checked for a pulse and breathing. Both there, but faint. "Wake up buddy. Please." He examined Michael's shoulder where he found an oozing flesh-wound. It looked like a bite mark.

The smoldering remains of Brian's escape pod lit a small patch of dried grass on fire. The wind quickly fanned the flames, and black columns of smoke began to rise. Brian coughed as the think acrid stench of burning flesh filled his nostrils. He was on fire, and by the looks of it, paralyzed from the waist down…


	8. Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 7

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Julian blinked. The sunlight was nearly blinding. There was a blurry figure standing over him. Was it… Michael? It sure looked like it. His face was filthy and tear stained.

"Julian? Are you alright?" Michael asked.

"Mmmf. What happened?"

"Something bit you, and I found you here," Michael said, pointing at the bite wound on Julian's shoulder. "We need to get you to Harold."

"Do you even know where it is?" Julian said groggily.

"It's in a big sinkhole somewhere near here. That's about all I can remember though. I was barely able to see it before we needed to get to the pods," Michael said, searching his memory. He remembered the ship dropping out of Hyperspace too close to the planet. The cabin was shaking furiously. Michael slipped back into the memory of the crash.

"What was that?" Tessa yelled, sitting up quickly.

"We dropped out of Hyperspace too close to the planet," Brian responded quickly, gripping the metal bar to his left as the ship made contact with the atmosphere. The hull became red hot.

"Get to the escape pods!" Julian commanded. "Maybe we'll survive that way."

Michael glanced over at the navigation screen. He spotted a blinking red dot. It was in a large sinkhole. He snapped back into the present.

"I know where Harold is. I just need to find my own escape pod. Don't move!" Michael said before running off.

"Don't worry I won't," Julian shouted after Michael. He sighed and shut his eyes.

"This won't hurt a bit love," Tessa said, sticking a needle in the mystery creature's arm. She withdrew a sample of its 'blood.' A small drop fell on her skin, but she wiped it off quickly.

"Harold," she said. "Please run a genetic analysis of this." She injected the blood into Harold's analyzer.

"This substance is unfamiliar to me, and it may take several hours to analyze," Harold said, beginning to process the alien blood.

"Whatever," Tessa said, scratching at the place where the blood had fallen on her skin. She returned to the genetics lab where she stared intently at her classification system. "No this is all bloody wrong. These two can't possibly go together. A…and these! What the hell was I thinking?" She crumpled up her previous work and drew a new chart. Meanwhile, the alien blood dissolved its container inside the analyzer; it slowly began eating away the circuits in Harold's electronic brain.


	9. Discovery

Chapter 8

Discovery

**It seems only fit that I add this chapter as well for getting you guys all excited for it. I also changed the beginning of the story as well, so please go back and re-read if you will. Sorry for the confusion.**

"Rick!" Emma yelled, chasing after her husband. It had been years since anyone had left the caves. Emma's great-grandfather ensured that by sealing the entrance to the caves the day the Nemesis came. Rick was hot-headed and adventurous, so naturally, as soon as he heard there was a world outside the caves, he wanted to explore it. He told Emma about his plan to find the original settlement that morning at breakfast, but she, of course, didn't suspect that he would actually do it. When she finally caught up to Rick, she found him digging around the base of what looked like a normal wall.

"What are you doing?" Emma said quizzically.

"This is the mouth of the cave," Rick responded. "I think I found a tunnel someone used to escape."

"Who would want to escape? There is nothing out there," Emma said.

"That is what's got me so interested. No one's ever been out there before," Rick dug furiously. Dirt gave way, and golden sunlight entered the caves for the first time in over a century. Emma paced nervously. "Come with me." Rick offered her his hand.

"I'm not so sure. It's been a long time since I've been out-," she paused, realizing her mistake. Rick raised an eyebrow.

"What did you say?" Rick asked, stepping away from the tunnel.

Emma sighed. "I guess I can't keep this from you. When I was a little girl, my friends and I left the caves. There's hardly anything out there. It's just a wasteland."

"Show me," Rick said.

"Alright fine, but no one hears about this!" Emma said, grabbing her husband's hand. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust. Everything was just how she remembered it. There was the dustbowl that seemed to stretch for miles, but at the center there was a collection of wrecked shacks. Emma and Rick walked into the center of the town. Emma spotted something she didn't remember. She wondered how she missed it all those years ago. It was a fountain that had long since been drained.

"Let's go down here," she said, carefully stepping over the edge of the fountain. She and Rick descended the stairs into the darkness. Emma's jaw dropped when she reached the bottom. There was some machine whirring, buzzing, and blinking.

"What's that?" Rick asked, his eyes widening.

"I'm not sure," Emma said, approaching the mysterious machine. Rick cautiously reached out and touched it. Suddenly, it came to life.

"Welcome back Julian. My aging program says you should be dead. Have you discovered a method of stopping the aging process?" The machine said in a cool metallic voice.

"Who is Julian?" Rick asked.

"Calculating. Unable to answer," the machine responded.

"Watch this," Emma said. "What year is it?"

"Calculating. The current year is 120."

"That's not very helpful," Rick said.

"Can you tell me what happened in the year 1?" Emma asked.

"On day one of year one, the ship, _Dreadnaught_, crashed on this world, seventeen light-years short of its destination. Eventually, the crew members were able to reunite and ascertain their location. By the year three…" The voice stopped talking, and the lights on the computer shut off.


	10. Faceless Savior

Chapter 9

Faceless Savior

Michael's lungs burned as he dashed through the forest. The air was thick and humid; it seemed to weigh him down. He found the clearing above which his pod crashed. Squinting in the evening sun, he looked up. His pod perched precariously on a thick branch. "It's not like I'm going to survive much longer anyway," he said, pulling a bandana out of his pocket. He tied it around both of his ankles. Carefully, he started his climb up the mossy tree.

The small mark on Tessa's arm had now swelled to the size of a very bad bug bite. She thought on it for a moment. It appeared sometime after she collected the genetic sample from the creature. She got a drop of the sample on her skin, but she didn't think it was harmful. "Bloody hell I'm an idiot," she said, standing up. She quickly got dizzy, and her vision started to go black. She grabbed onto a rail to help stabilize herself; her vision returned to normal. Stumbling out of the genetics lab, she crouched down next to the creature on the floor. She showed it her arm. It looked down at it but looked away quickly. "Heal this, and I will let you go. It's almost night, so you'll be able to go outside," Tessa said calmly. The creature looked away angrily. "Please. I'll erease all evidence you were ever here, and I won't tell anyone about you," Tessa said desperately. The creature slowly turned toward her. It shut its eyes, and a hole near where it's belly button would be opened. The opening glowed with a yellow-green energy. It tenderly grabbed Tessa's arm with one hand, and it placed its other hand over her belly button. Carefully, as though it was afraid to break it, the creature moved her arm over the glowing ball of energy on its body. Instantly, Tessa felt a connection with the creature. Her entire body tingled, and she felt a transfer of something from the creature to her. She felt its knowledge course through her. Billions of memories flooded her brain. Somehow, she managed to order Harold to let the creature go before blacking out.

Alexys's eyes shot open. She gasped for air and sat up quickly. It was nearly nightfall, and she didn't want to find out what kind of strange things came out at night. She looked down at Sammi.

"Sammi?" Alexys said. "You still with me?" She felt for a pulse. It was there, but it was weak. "Where is the damn doctor when I need him? Julian!" she shouted, knowing she wouldn't get a response. Her leg was completely numb which was probably better than feeling the pain in it, but she couldn't walk. She heard an odd noise behind her. Straining her neck, she turned around to see an escape pod rising from the trees. "The hell? Am I dreaming?" She started screaming and waving at the craft.

To be continued…


	11. Reunited

Chapter 10

Reunited

Michael carefully piloted his pod to the wreckage. He spotted Alexys waving her arms frantically. "I can see you," he chuckled. The pod slowly descended. His stomach grumbled; he realized he hadn't had any food or water since the crash. Adrenaline had been sustaining him. His mouth was parched, and his lips were starting to crack. After doing some digging, he found a water ration stowed in one of the pod's compartments. He popped the seal on the pouch and slowly sipped the water, being sure to save some for Alexys and Sammi.

The pod touched down near the wreckage, and Michael dashed out as quickly as possible, stumbling as his feat hit the uneven ground. Alexys let out a sigh of relief when she saw Michael running toward her.

"Sammi's alive but barely!" Alexys shouted at Michael as he approached.

"We'll get her to Harold, and he can fix her up," Michael said, hoisting Sammi's limp body over his shoulder. "Can you walk?" he asked.

"Not very far. My leg is numb."

"It's only about a hundred feet to the ship."

With great difficulty, Alexys stood up and made a mad dash for the ship's ramp. She collapsed on the cool metal floor. Somehow it soothed her. She felt Michael stumble past her and lay Sammi on the floor. He used the pod's one weapon to break her free. The escape pod lifted off the ground, and Alexys drifted off, her face resting on the cold metal.

"Alexys?" Tessa said, gently shaking her. Light entered her eyes but not the natural light of the sun. It was artificial light.

"Where?" she said drowsily, unable to finish her sentence.

"Inside Harold," Tessa responded.

"How's…." Alexys paused. "Sammi?"

"Sleeping. She should be fine," Michael said.

"What about the others?"

"We've located Julian, but Brian is either too far away or…" Tessa stopped. "Dead."

Brian slowly opened his eyes. There wasn't any more smoke, and he wasn't on fire anymore. The sun had set, and his clothes were soaked. _Must've rained,_ he thought. There was no wind, yet the grass around him rustled.

A jagged bolt of lightning streaked through the sky, illuminating the terrifying beasts that approached. Brian noticed that his paralysis was only temporary, and he shakily stood up. Another bolt. He ran furiously away from the nightmarish creatures which soon pursued. They were faster than Brian had expected, but he was always bad at estimating things, considering how it _was_ his fault that they had crashed on this planet, seventeen light-years short of their destination. He just hadn't bothered to tell anyone yet.

To be continued….


	12. Coruscant

Chapter 11

Coruscant

Emma and Rick carefully climbed out of the fountain and back onto the dusty road with the long abandoned buildings. A breeze rushed through the old town, picking up a cloud of dirt and dust as it swept by. Rick covered his face and coughed on the dry dirt that blew into his mouth. After rubbing the dirt out of his eyes and making sure Emma was alright, he noticed something that had been uncovered by the wind. A piece of wood. As he approached it, he spotted the writing on it. The letters were engraved in the wood, and they were filled in with a yellowish pigment. Rick picked up the wood. He flipped it over and turned it around trying to decipher the words. There were two of them. Rick was never very good at reading. There was no use for it in the caves, with direct neural download and all. He ran his finger over his temple, feeling the implant that lay just under his skin.

"I know one of the words," Emma chimed in after examining the wood. Her implant flickered rapidly. "King," she pronounced the word with ease.

"What about the second word?" Rick asked, staring blankly at the word. His implant flashed, and he started to spit sounds out. "Maybe we should take this back to the caves. "

"That's a bad idea. We could get caught, and be thrown in jail. Leave it here," Emma scolded. Both of their implants deactivated, and the control over their brains was relinquished.

"We'll have to erase the memories of this," Rick said intelligently, knowing their memories would be downloaded into the System at the next harvest. Leaders in the community had been replaced by Harold. Rick heard a puff of air; he spotted a small vial flying through the air toward him. His implant activated once more, and he caught the container with ease. Quickly, he put the vial of mystery liquid in his pocket, making sure Emma didn't notice.

They began to make their way back to the caves, but a woman blocked their path.

"What do you two think you're doing outside the caves?" the woman asked in a heavily accented voice. Her hair fell freely around her shoulders, and her crystal blue eyes glinted in the desert sun.

"We…uh…" Rick was speechless; his implant tried to compensate.

"That doesn't matter now," the woman said. "Now that I have returned, I will liberate those who live in the caves." Her lips curled into a sinister smile. "Come we must inform the others that Tessa Lawson has made her return to Coruscant."


	13. The Final Pieces

Chapter 12

The Final Pieces

Julian's mind raced as the last bits of toxin left his system. He was in a cave of some sort. A fire crackled in a hearth made of sticks and kindling. Long and ominous shadows moved about the tunnels. He analyzed the space, looking for an escape of any sort. Nothing. Footsteps approached him, and he quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. A creature nudged him. _One of the ones that bit me?_ he wondered. The creature began to 'speak,' or at least, that's what it sounded like. Oddly, Julian was able to understand. _A side effect of the venom?_ His mind was full of questions.

"Get up monkey," the alien said in a raspy voice. "Your colleague saved me, so I owe you."

Julian noticed the marks on the alien's arms that could've only come from restraints.

"Hurry. Is your brain too puny to get the hell out of here?"

"Alright. I'll go." Without another word, Julian stood and ran.

"That's more like it!" the alien said, pondering the way in which it would explain the escape to his brethren.

Brian ran aimlessly into the night, tripping and stumbling over rocks. His pursuers were gaining on him, and he had no idea how to lose them in this unfamiliar landscape. Then, he spotted a figure running at him. _Fantastic,_ he thought, _I'm done for._ Strange clicking and hissing noises came from the thing's mouth, slowing the pursuers.

"Julian?" Brian yelled out.

"Keep running!" Julian yelled back as he passed Brian. "Harold is about two miles that way." Julian pointed toward some rocks that looked nothing more than a small outcropping. Brian didn't slow until he reached the rocks. His chest heaved, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. He nearly passed out from the exertion. Carefully, he scaled the rocks and found a surprise. A massive sinkhole appeared in front of him. In the bottom, he spotted a blue-ish light emanating from an unknown object.

"Harold," Brian panted. "Now how the hell do I get down there?" He spun around at the sound of footsteps behind him.

"Don't worry. Just me," Julian said, catching his breath. "Water?" He offered Brian an animal skin jug, and Brian happily drank.

"How deep is this?" Brian asked, staring down into the black sinkhole.

"Not sure. I crashed just over there," Julian pointed off into the darkness. "We should try to get to my pod. Maybe it's still operational." With that, they began the dangerous climb down the treacherous sides of the sinkhole.


	14. And so it Began:

Chapter 13

And so it Began:

The morning sunlight poured in through the windows. Sammi was slowly able to sit herself up and eat something. Alexys and Michael were busy trying to locate Brian and Julian. Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be found. Tessa quietly monitored her test tube baby. She still hadn't informed the others, but she planned to do so soon.

"Found them!" Alexys said.

"Where?" Michael asked, staring at the screens.

"In a sinkhole about a hundred miles from here," Alexys responded in a concerned tone.

"_Dreadnaught,_" Tessa said.

"You think they found it?" Sammi asked. Her head was spinning, but she managed to get the words out.

"Why else would they have gone to a sinkhole?" Tessa's voice was cold and intelligent. Her eyes glimmered with hope. "I'm going to go get them, and hopefully the ship along with them."

"Someone should go with her," Michael said after Tessa stepped outside.

"I'll go," Alexys said after thinking on it for a moment. "I think she likes me the best." Alexys walked outside where she climbed onto the escape pod.

"Let's hope this thing flies," Tessa said, examining the controls. "Where did you crash?" Tessa asked, trying to spark up casual conversation.

"In a lake or an ocean, I'm not sure," Alexys responded gravely. "My pod started sinking, but something or someone saved me."

"Interesting. Have you encountered any indigenous life forms?"

"Nothing more than some bugs and small mammals. You?"

"Um. Yeah I'd rather not talk about it now though. At least not until Harold can tell me what exactly I saw," Tessa said.

The escape pod lifted off the ground. Escape pod is a simple term for the ships the _Dreadnaught's _crew left in. They're more like shuttles designed for multiple uses, one of which is to escape a crashing ship.

"There it is," Alexys said, pointing at a massive hole in the landscape ahead of them. Tessa squinted in the bright sunlight as she tried to land the pod. Her jaw dropped when she saw the wreckage of the _Dreadnaught_ strewn across the bottom of the crater. A bullet hit the side of the pod, startling Alexys.

"Bloody hell Brian. I know you're down there."

The pod sent a cloud of dust into the air. Brian and Julian stumbled on board. "Something's wrong with him," Brian said, a look of worry sweeping across his face. "Just before you got here, he passed out and started convulsing."

"Lay him on the floor," Tessa said in a commanding tone. The pod took back and swiftly flew back to Harold.

"Water," Brian moaned just as the pod was touching down. Alexys took her bottle and gave it to him.

"Tessa," Michael said, meeting her at the back of the pod. His face wore a concerned expression. Instantly, she knew what he discovered, but she decided to play into it.

"What?" she asked.

"Alexys can take care of Sammi and Julian. We need to find anything we can salvage in the _Dreadnaught_," Michael said. His eyes tried to bore into her, but he was met with stone.

"Alright," Tessa responded coolly, knowing this was just an excuse for Michael to talk to her alone. "Let me help get Brian and Julian inside."

Michael waited with his arms crossed. As she walked away, Tessa could feel his gaze burning into her neck. She didn't want to go back to that ship, but what would happen if she didn't?


	15. the Week of Hell

Chapter 14

the Week of Hell

The damage done to _Dreadnaught_ was severe; there probably wasn't much left to salvage, yet Tessa and Michael tried anyway.

"I know about the child," Michael said blatantly. The statement caught Tessa off guard, and she stumbled over her words, trying to say something sensible.

"I didn't think anyone survived. For the longest time, none of you showed up on Harold's sensors," she responded coolly.

Michael frowned and resumed his digging. "It was the right thing to do," he admitted after some time. Tessa looked up at him, a puzzled look on her face. "If we're going to make it here, we need to start mixing the genetic samples we brought from Earth. The six of us aren't going to provide enough genetic diversity to maintain this place."

"So you're not angry?" Tessa asked carefully.

"A little," Michael responded. "You could have waited until you found the rest of us, but you did have a schedule to keep to. We all knew that coming into this. The samples were to be our priority."

"Harold picked up a message from the President," Tessa said distantly. "Earth is most likely gone, and Simeon was probably never finished."

"We'll all be dead before Simeon gets here anyway," Michael said.

Simeon was a craft with potentially millions of genetic samples and ten genetically altered humans who would be able to live on worlds with the most unlivable conditions. Simeonites. They turned Tessa's husband into one. She had hoped Simeon would leave twenty years after Harold, and it may have. There would be no way of knowing. Who knows how long it would take to reach the planet they were on.

"I think that's all we can get for now," Tessa said, staring up into the hot noon sun.

"I agree. We'll get roasted if we stay out here for too long. The climbed back into the escape pod with the little they were able to salvage. They found a few food supplies, and Tessa found that the Hyperdrive might still be usable. Finding fuel for it would be another matter, though. The computer was trashed along with the long range communications array.

Tessa expertly flew the pod to the adjacent sinkhole. "Have you encountered any of the weird poisonous creatures?" Michael asked out of the blue.

"Yeah. I got a 'DNA' sample from one of them," Tessa responded, recalling her encounter with the strange monster. "They're venom is nasty stuff." She showed the scar on her arm to Michael.

"How did you get it out of your system?" Michael asked after examining the wound.

"I'm not really sure. There was this glowing ball of light that appeared in the creature's abdomen, and he…it put my arm over it, and it was suddenly healed. I released it. And after that, I blacked out."

"Interesting. I found Julian in a similar state, but it looked like he was bitten. You just got some on your skin," Michael said.

"We should keep an eye on him then," Tessa responded in a cold tone. "He is the one who seems to understand Harold the best."

"What should we do if he starts going crazy?" Michael asked. It was obvious that he was concerned.

"Take him to one of the creatures. If we can find one, it might be able to fix him. We may need to bribe it, though." Tessa focused her attention on landing the pod. As soon as it touched down, both she and Michael knew something was wrong. Harold was missing.


	16. Lost and Found

Sorry for the long wait. I just finished stage managing _Grease_ at my school, so I should be back to my regular update schedule soon. Stargate sequel coming soon!

Chapter 15

Lost and Found

"Well this is just brilliant!" Tessa yelled. She carefully examined the bare piece of land in front of her for any sings that Harold left. A hint of fear washed over her face but it only lasted a moment. She kicked the sand in front of her.

"We were only gone for a few hours. Look," Michael said, pointing at a piece of scorched earth. "I think they moved. These marks are from the planetary engines being fired."

Tessa dashed back into the escape pod. She pulled up a map of the surrounding area. "There not anywhere nearby. They could've moved to the other side of the planet by… Michael. Come here."

"Oh my God. What is _that_?" He pressed his finger to the map, his eyes widening in shock.

"It's a ship," Tessa said fearfully. "Not one of ours."

The ship cruised through the atmosphere toward the surface of the planet. Its engines let out a deafening roar. Minor earthquakes occurred as the ship touched down. The large ion engines scorched large portions of forest and grasslands before they shut off.

Tessa maneuvered the pod away from the landing ship. "This could be bad. Especially with Harold missing. This ship is totally overwhelming out sensors. The pod can't see a thing," she said in a distressed tone. She and Michael watched as a ramp lowered from the back of the ship. Thousands of small one-man ships flew out of the back. They quickly spread out over the planet's surface. Tessa landed the pod. She and Michael clambered out to try to disguise it, but their efforts were futile. The darts zipped through the air overhead. Tessa and Michael quickly discovered what the darts were after. The nocturnal creatures emerge from their caves to be beamed up by the darts. They are the next to targets.

Tessa's head was foggy when she regained consciousness. Michael was already awake. "What happened?" she asked, rubbing her forehead.

"We were captured, but I found Harold and the others." Michael pointed across what looked like a hangar bay. There sat Harold…


	17. Inquisition

Once again, sorry for the wait. I should be getting back into my writing very soon. Thanks

Chapter 16

Inquisition

The sharp needle pierced Brian's skin, and instantly, a blast of pain surged through his veins. His eyes rolled back, and sweat beaded on his head. The other five watched in terror, knowing full well they would undergo the same process soon enough.

Images fluttered through Brian's mind like a fast-paced movie. Then, the voices began.

"What are you?" one said.

"From where do you come?" another asked.

Brian tried his best to answer, but he wasn't used to mental invasion. Soon he realized that the aliens were only trying to obtain information. Brian quickly learned why they came to this planet. It was a hatchery and incubator for the alien offspring. The aliens would drop eggs off on the caves of the planet where they would grow and mature until such a time when the aliens could return to pick their fully capable young. The aliens weren't hostile, but they were perturbed about his team's presence in their breeding ground.

The others watched him in terror, their faces pallid in color. Tessa was trembling slightly. It was as if she anticipated what came next. Brian woke up slowly, and he was escorted back to the others. Before he could reassure Tessa, she was dragged off. She was strapped down and quickly put under. The alien serum burned through her veins like a wildfire, slowly creeping its way toward her brain.

Soon enough, the voices began. There were too many of them to sort out at first. After a moment, unique voices stepped out of the dark muddled soup of sound. The first voice was thin and raspy.

"We have come to a decision," the cold, evil-sounding voice said.

"What are you talking about?" Tessa asked.

"We have decided to let you stay on our sacred breeding ground until the next spawn occurs," the voice said matter-of-factly.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Gah. You humans are so primitive and crude. In fact, you are so primitive that you pose no significant threat to us. You can't even communicate telepathically; according to our best scientists, it will take your species another millennium to achieve only that."

"We're very a very determined and vigilant species," Tessa said.

"Indeed, but you are nowhere near enlightenment."

"And you are?" Tessa said. She felt the mood change.

"Our species has been evolving for longer than your planet has been in existence," the voice said angrily.

"I-I apologize. We do have a lot of learning to do. Maybe we could exchange knowledge and technology."

"And what do **you** have that **we** don't?" the voice asked.  
>"I'm not sure. We have a great deal of knowledge about our own galaxy. Does that interest you?" Tessa asked.<p>

"It may, but we don't have time to discuss this. The young need to be tended to. We will now return you to your previous location."

The bright sunlight was the next thing Tessa saw. She and Michael were sitting in the escape pod. There was a blip on the scanner in the spot where Harold sat, undisturbed. Tessa watched the final darts return to the alien ship before it took off.

"That was quite an experience," she said. "We have a lot of catching up to do."


	18. Flight

I decided to do a double-update tonight. I may even put up a third chapter if I get it finished soon.

Chapter 17

Flight

Tessa groggily woke up from her false slumber. The last thing she remembered was being in the cavern under the fountain with Harold. The two aliens had beamed down, and they shot her. Anger flooded through her. They came fifty years early to deposit their young. Tessa was quite confused and angry. She remembered the place. It was the interrogation room where she and Brian were questioned shortly after the original group landed on the planet. She heard approaching footsteps…

"Why did you come early?" Tessa asked fiercely.

"To put it simply, we are at war," one of the aliens said. Clearly, the remembered the English they had learned from Tessa and Brian. "And we are losing badly. We came for two main reasons. First, we have developed super soldiers, but they need to gestate on this planet. Also, we need your brainpower to assist in our fight against the Nemesis."

"**You **need **me**?" Tessa said incredulously.

"Yes. Yes we do," the alien admitted humbly. The ship shuddered for a moment and then took off. "Right now, we are headed to our home world where you will be briefed on the enemy. You should get some rest for now. We have prepared quarters for you."

Tessa was escorted to a spartan room with a very uncomfortable-looking bed. She couldn't sleep a wink. Her mind kept wandering. What would happen to Damon? New Paris? She was a figure-head, but now she was gone, potentially for good. After a few hours of shifting position, Tessa somehow drifted off to sleep. She woke no more than two hours later. Peering out the window, she spotted the aliens' home world. It was beautiful from space. Around it, there was a grid of defense satellites. They formed a shield network that protected the surface from invasion and space to ground weapons' fire. It was something they dabbled with on Earth for the purpose of keeping away asteroids and comets. The alien she spoke with earlier came into the room.

"Are you prepared to go to the surface?" it asked.

"Yeah. Just wondering, do you have a name?" she asked.

"You would not be able to pronounce it." The alien chuckled, if you could call it that.

"How about… Liz?" Tessa said, raising an eyebrow.

"That will suffice," the alien said. Tessa somehow assumed the alien, Liz, was a female just something about her demeanor. The two of them walked to something called the disembarkation room. There was a glowing pad in the center of the floor. Liz guided Tessa to a sector of the pad. A column of light surrounded them, and an instant later, they were standing in an immense room that reminded Tessa of the airport terminals on Earth. Hundreds of the aliens dashed around in a flurried panic.

"Why are they running about like that?" Tessa asked.

"We are expecting an attack soon," Liz replied gravely.

"Why so worried? Won't your shield protect the planet?"

"No. The Nemesis has discovered a way to get through the shield. That is why you are here. We need a new shield."


	19. Brave New World

Chapter 18

Brave New World

"Seven years ago, we encountered an unknown and nameless alien race. They claimed to be benevolent caretakers from another galaxy. Blinded by their magnificence, we trusted them. It took many months for us to realize our mistake. It started with sudden and mysterious deaths. Many of our kind were found dead in the rooms or even behind their desks. We began to investigate the deaths and our new alien 'friends' assisted us. Little did we know, they were misleading us the whole time. It was in fact, the aliens who were causing the deaths. Their race has evolved to the point at which their brains cannot develop by natural means, so they steal the minds of alien races they encounter. We were complete fools, but we were able to drive the Nemesis from our world. They didn't go quietly, and soon, we were at war. Their ships were quite powerful, but they were no match for ours; however, they were far greater in numbers. We were quickly overpowered, and we lost many of our outlying colonies. Our empire soon began to topple, and it is now concentrated in a mere 18 solar systems. The outlands are completely abandoned.

Onto the shield, we built it three years ago in hope that we would be able to survive their attacks, and we did. However, last month, we received word that the Nemesis had developed a new weapon which had the capability to penetrate the shield." Liz was certainly very passionate about this subject.

"It would help to know how the shield functions," Tessa said.

"The shield is formed by bouncing beams of highly charged particles between the satellites. The satellites are linked together in the way carbon atoms are. When the shield is fully powered, it has no solid surfaces. The beams merely form edges of a large polyhedron. When an energy weapon passes within said edges, the energy is absorbed into the satellites and distributed around the network, strengthening it."

"And how are they planning on penetrating it?" Tessa asked

"There are weak points where this planet's magnetic field intersects the grid. If those locations are targeted and fired upon heavily, then the shield will not be able to properly distribute energy, and the satellites in that area will overload from the excess of energy. Once a hole is formed in the grid, the entire shield is totally useless," Liz explained.

"So essentially, the magnetic field is creating a feedback loop between the satellites it comes into contact with? It should just be a matter of insulating the satellites," Tessa said, thinking the solution was simple.

"Unfortunately, we have already tried that. We have discovered that the problem is also in the beams of energized particles themselves. Some of them are flowing around the magnetic field."

"I really have no idea how to remedy this then," Tessa sighed.

"Perhaps you will change your mind when you see the lab. This way," Liz said, leading Tessa to an immense room with probably hundreds of computers and at least a dozen holographic projectors, something only recently developed on Earth at the time of Harold's departure.

Tessa was certainly very impressed, and right away, she got to work. 


	20. Flow

Chapter 19

Flow

The work Tessa was doing was anything but simple. As a matter of fact, the aliens had to implant her with a neural transceiver so she could more readily absorb information. In merely two hours, Tessa had learned at least two types of new mathematics as well as a new branch of particle physics. The work was certainly difficult, but she was catching on quickly.

"Are you ready for the first test?" Liz asked.

"Yes. Everything is set." Tessa and Liz walked into the largest simulator room. In the center of the room, a large hologram of the planet and satellite network floated.

"Begin simulation," Liz said. A fleet of holographic Nemesis ships dropped out of Hyperspace. They began to fire weapons as they approached the planet. As programmed, they targeted the weak points of the shield. As predicted by Liz, the shield failed; the Nemesis ships obliterated the surface of the holographic planet, turning it into a hellish inferno.

"Add modifications," Tessa said. The satellites were augmented accordingly; the simulation resumed. The holographic ships began their assault. Tessa and Liz waited nervously. At first, the simulation seemed to be going well. The weak areas were holding up against the assault, but all of a sudden, they gave way. The insulation must have failed.

"Damn!" Tessa said. She was under a great deal of pressure especially because the Nemesis were predicted to arrive within the next six hours. "Back to work." Tessa left the lab with her tail between her legs. She worked tirelessly for the next three hours, trying new insulation methods and modulation frequencies. Nothing worked.

Then, Liz came to Tessa with a creative solution – a polar switch. The aliens had the ability to switch the poles of their planet, and they could execute the maneuver over a period of several hours. Liz never put forward the idea before because it seemed too ridiculous to her, but Tessa thought it just might work. Insulation would have to be applied to every satellite, so they could all resist the "Strange Magnetic Flow" as Tessa called it. The entirety of the planet's population helped out in one way or another; before long, the planet was prepped for the attack.

Everyone waited in suspense as warning were broadcasted globally. They reminded Tessa of the nuclear fallout warnings broadcasted on Earth when she was a child. She remembered how the prospect of nuclear war terrified her, and this was no different. The mood was tense. Tessa and Liz watched the monitors in the simulation room which would now relay real-time information about the battle going on above.

For a miraculous moment, Tessa thought the attack might now happen, but she was soon proved wrong when the Hyperspace portals began forming – hundreds of them…


	21. Siege

Chapter 20

Siege

The magnetic pole switch began on schedule, and everything seemed to be going perfectly. Tessa smiled and admired her work as it fended off the brutal Nemesis attack. Liz was carefully monitoring the switch. All was going without a hitch, but then, disaster struck.

Several new Hyperspace portals opened, and small highly energetic probes flew out. They surrounded the planet in an even fashion. A look of terror flashed over Liz's face.

"This is bad. We didn't anticipate this." She quickly tapped into the planet wide intercom. "Attention all citizens! Get to your designated city ships. We must evacuate the planet."

Just as she finished, the probes began to fire on the shield; they targeted the weak spot as it moved across the shield. Liz furiously pressed buttons and glanced at screens. A moment later, the building began to shudder.

"Prepare for liftoff!" Liz shouted through the intercom. Tessa lost her balance momentarily as the city left the ground. She watched the probes expertly take down the shield. There were a total of 24 city ships that all took off, but the second the shield dropped, the probes and Nemesis ships began attacking the surface and city ships. Tessa thought they were doomed; the knot in her stomach tightened.

Miraculously, the city ship she was inside made it to orbit, but that was just the beginning of the troubles. There were enough Nemesis ships to create a blockade. Liz knew the probes would be able to follow the city anywhere it went. It opened a Hyperspace portal and left the system.

"Where are we going?" Tessa asked.

"Back to your home galaxy. It is the closest and the safest. Is there any sentient life in it?" Liz asked.

"Maybe if a few humans survived, but we never found any indications of alien life."

Tessa gave Liz the spatial coordinates of Earth, and then she got some rest. When she woke, she saw a familiar sight out of her window. Earth.

The surface of the planet was dry and desiccated. "You lived here?" Liz asked.

Tessa nodded. "We kinda screwed it up with all the pollution and the wastefulness.

"We had similar problems when our species was evolving. It never got this bad though."

"Is it safe to go out?"

"We think so," Liz said. Since we landed, the city has been running extensive scans; they are not yet finished. We must wait…"


	22. Memoir

Chapter 21

Memoir

While the sensors performed their scans of Earth's surface, Tessa had some time to think. It had been a very long time since she had been on her home planet. Somehow this whole situation she was in, reminded her of the weeks and months after her team had been abducted by the alien race Liz was a part of. The scene began playing in her mind…

"So now what?" Julian asked.

"We should establish a settlement once we start using the genetic samples," Tessa said.

"She has a point. We can't stay cooped up in Harold forever," Alexys noted.

"What will we do when the aliens come back?" Sammi asked.

"None of us will be alive when that day comes," Julian said. "But, hopefully our descendents will have a plan."

"Harold was not returned to the sinkhole. Instead, it was moved to a location deemed fit by its computer. There was ample water in a nearby lake. The field in which Harold now sat was surrounded almost entirely by forest. Birds could be heard chirping. The place was like a spring meadow. Wildflowers poked up through the wild grasses. Small rodents dashed around in search of food; however, they kept a watchful eye out for larger mammals and predatory birds. Right away, Alexys and Julian began exploring the woods to map them and to catalog edible plants and animals. Tessa was busy classifying genes. Sammi, Brian, and Michael started construction of three farm houses. As time passed, the group noticed an odd change in the weather. The days grew much longer and hotter. One morning, Alexys saw a second sun on the horizon.

"This is a binary system?" Julian said in surprise.

"I guess," Sammi replied. "But why are we only seeing the second sun now?"

"The planet could be moving in a figure-eight," Michael said. He squatted down in the dirt, and he drew a diagram of the solar system. There were two suns which rotated around a central point of gravity. Then, he drew the path which the planet followed. "We're here," he said, plotting a point on the path. "As the planet moves," he continued, "the days will grow longer until we reach a point at which the entire planet is bathed in sunlight every hour of the day."

"Will that be a problem?" Tessa asked.

"I hope not," Michael said. "But, I can't make any promises. The plants here are probably resilient to the increased temperatures and levels of radiation; however, our bodies are not."

"What are you saying?" Sammi asked.

"We will probably fry," Michael said gravely…


	23. Settlement

Chapter 22

Settlement

The small town slowly rose from the dust and grass. It started out as shanty wooden shacks, but soon, the three farm houses became stable and semi-permanent structures. The nights grew shorter, and the days were becoming hotter. Tessa made sure no one stayed out in the suns for too long. Michael took a break from construction to analyze the path of the planet.

"Hey, Tess," he said.

"What?" Tessa asked. She stood up and left the genetics lab.

"The computer isn't working right," Michael said.

"Oh?" Tessa said, her voice thick with confusion.

"It isn't doing what I tell it to do most of the time, but if it does look up the right thing, it's extremely slow."

Tessa knelt and popped open the panel that led to Harold's mechanical brain. She pressed a few buttons, and the core slid out of the wall. It was small enough for her to pick up and carry to a diagnostic table. The table ran on an isolated computer, so it would not be affected by a virus.

"Begin analysis," Tessa said. The computer beeped, and a beam of light dashed over Harold. A few moments later, the computer spoke.

"Unknown chemical detected," the computer said.

"What?" Tessa said in surprise. She thought on it for a moment, and then she realized what the chemical was. She ran over to the chemical analysis station where she pulled out the sample container. Only the very top was left. The rest had been dissolved by the alien blood.

"Oh my God!" Michael said. "What is that?"

"Shortly after we crashed, I found Harold. I came inside, and one of the aliens was in here. I had it restrained, so I could figure out what it was. I took a small sample of its blood; a little bit spilled on me, and I started to go crazy. I promised I would let it go if it healed me, so it did heal me. I guess the blood dissolved the glass, and it seeped into the computer."

"That's a problem," Michael said. Tessa simply nodded.

"It is…" A look of fear washed over Tessa's face, banishing the color from it.

"I need an escape pod computer. Hopefully it will be able to temporarily replace Harold," Tessa commanded. Tessa nervously worked on gene samples while she waited for the computer to come back. She was getting ready to seal the genetics lab shut because of the increasing levels of radiation. Just after she sealed it, Brian and Michael hauled the pod's computer into Harold. Tessa pulled some wires out of the usual computer compartment and connected them to the new computer. While everything was slower, it worked.

Michael continued to pour over his diagrams of the solar system. About an hour later, Tessa came to a harrowing conclusion.

"Michael," she said. "I have some bad news. Go get the others."

"What's going on Tessa," Alexys asked once everyone was inside Harold.

"I thought we'd be able to survive in here during the period of increased solar activity because of the shield," Tessa began. "However, with Harold's computer out of commission, there is no system to regulate the shield."

"What about the pod's computer?" Sammi asked.

"It isn't powerful enough," Michael said gravely.

"So what are you saying?" Brian asked in a worried tone.

"Simply put, we're not going to survive the solar apex," Tessa answered.


	24. Satellite

**AN: Despite my previous predictions, I was able to get a connection for long enough to publish this. 3 SMFAH**

Chapter 23

Satellite

Tessa and Michael worked tirelessly to restore Harold's shield. It was a difficult task, and neither was sure if it was even possible. The others were forced to stay inside for the majority of the day due to high levels of solar radiation. The only time they could go out was when only one sun was up or at night, but the nights were increasingly short. The structures they were building were nowhere near insulated enough to block radiation.

"We're getting nowhere with this," Tessa complained as yet another test of the shield failed. "The pod's computer is just not powerful enough to regulate a shield."

"Maybe if we found _Dreadnaught_, we'd be able to use its computer."

"We don't even know if the ship survived let alone has an intact computer. Besides, we probably won't be able to find it in time," Brian pointed out.

"I might be able to extend the range of Harold's sensors. Then we might be able to find it. There won't be any guarantees this plan will work though," Tessa said. She furiously pressed buttons, knowing time was of the essence. "Alexys," she said. "I need you to configure the satellite launch system."

"Will the satellite survive the solar radiation?" Alexys asked in a worried tone.

"Probably not, but if we launch it in the right window of opportunity, it should be able to find the wreckage, and then we'll be able to retrieve it before its computers fry."

"Alright," Alexys said. "What do you need me to do?"

Tessa explained the modifications to Alexys, and then she resumed her work on the timing of the launch. It would be tight, but with some luck, the satellite would survive. By the time the first sun was setting, Alexys emerged from the launch room.

"I'm finished," she reported.

"As am I," Tessa said. She sealed the launch room and powered the satellite's rocket engine. "Everyone into the genetics lab. If something goes wrong, we should be safe in there." The group of six crammed into the small room.

"The satellite is ready for launch," Sammi said. Tessa pressed the activation button.

"We have ignition," Michael said. The walls shuddered as the rocket engine fired. On an information tablet, Tessa watched the path of the satellite. Everything was working just as planned. Once the smoke and fumes had cleared, the group resumed their normal work. Tessa and Michael diligently monitored the satellite's progress. Soon, it was sending back data. Even if it didn't find _Dreadnaught,_ it would map the entire surface of the planet.

"And now we wait," Tessa mumbled sleepily as the spacecraft began its search.


	25. Dreadnaught

Chapter 24

Dreadnaught

The hours droned on for what seemed like days. The satellite cruised overhead, inspecting the surface of the planet. Tessa and Michael switched watch duty every 45 minutes or so.

"This isn't quick," Michael said lazily as he started his next shift.

"Hopefully it'll find something soon," Tessa mumbled as she started compiling a map of the planet.

"Found it!" Michael shouted.

"Where?" Tessa, suddenly filled with energy, stood.

"It's about a thousand miles from here, and the first sun is going to set there in about two hours."

"We need to be quick," Tessa said. "Get to work on increasing the power in the escape pod engines. Hopefully we'll get there while the second sun is still up. We _can _work through the night if we have to."

"I'll get on that right away." Michael dashed outside, and he and Alexys began making their modifications.

Only half an hour later, the pod was ready to go. Everyone except Julian climbed in.

"You have seven hours, and then you'll need to come back. Good luck," Julian said in a cautionary tone. The pod lifted off the ground and began its flight. With the modified engines, it sped across the surface of the planet. Even with the more efficient propulsion, nearly an hour would pass before the pod would reach the crash site. Tessa examined the schematics of the ship. She was hoping to salvage other items as well, but the shield generator and the main computer core were the primary targets.

When the pod reached the crash site, there was only one sun in the sky, and it would soon be gone. Sammi estimated they had 45 minutes at the most, so they began their search immediately. They split up into groups. Sammi and Brian were going to find the shield generator while Tessa, Michael, and Alexys were going to remove the computer core. If there was any time left at the end, they would take as much scrap metal as they could fit into the pod.

Michael pushed his way through the wreckage of the ship. It wasn't very large, but it was quite formidable when it was strewn across the surface. The entire electrical system was non-functional which comforted Alexys. At least she wouldn't electrocute herself. The group ripped and tore their way through bulkheads.

"I liked this ship much better when it wasn't demolished," Sammi complained as she and Brian dug through scraps of metal.

"Yeah. I guess it wasn't built for atmospheric reentry," Brian said.

"It was built for reentry, just not the kind we made," Sammi mumbled. "Jumping out of Hyperspace right over a planet puts incredible amounts of stress on the hull. For a while there, I thought we were going to bounce off the atmosphere and fly off into open space."

"That would've been bad. And at least we ended up on the right planet. We could've jumped out over a lifeless rock."

"This place isn't much better. It's just been one lethal thing after another," Sammi said distantly.

"True, but at least we're all alive," Brian commented as they continued to dig.

"I wonder what Earth is like," Alexys wondered.

"Dead, dry, and desiccate," Tessa answered coldly.

"Maybe they completed the underground shelters," Michael said hopefully.

"You mean the ones for the rich politicians who bought their way in to save their petty asses," Tessa said cynically. "Honestly, I hope they didn't."

"Maybe someday we could go back," Sammi said.

"Yeah… Maybe," Tessa said distantly.


	26. The Long Haul

**A/N: **I apologize to any of you who were into this story, but I just can't continue it. It was initially a great idea, but I lost interest in it, and I've been unable to rekindle that fire. I bit off more than I could chew with this one, and I wish I could continue it, but sometimes it's better just to end it as it is. I despise, with a burning passion, awful endings, so I will write this one last chapter to tie up loose ends. Well, all of them except for the future reality where Tessa returns to Earth, but I'll offer an explanation for that at the end. This might be a little cliché, but it can't be much worse than the rest of the story, so enjoy if you can.

Chapter 25

The Long Haul

"I think I found it!" Brian shouted as he ripped one final shred of metal away from the shield generator.

"Good work. Let's get this thing out of here," Sammi said, assisting Brian. The shield generator was bulky, but Sammi was confident they would be able to drag it back to the pod. They pulled the generator from the compartment.

"It's impossible to move this thing over all the wreckage," Brian commented as he futilely attempted to push the generator across the uneven terrain the destroyed ship created.

**/break\**

"I don't know if we can get to the core, Tessa," Alexys said as she crawled out of the room where the main computer was located.

"Is it stuck?" Tessa asked.

"I'm not sure. I can't even _see _it," Alexys said half-heartedly. The sun was barely peeking above the horizon. The sky burned red from the fading light.

"If anything, we need that." Michael let out a loud sigh. "Are there any other ways we can get in there?" he wondered.

"No. There's only one way in. Wait." Alexys's brow furrowed as she thought through the idea that crossed her mind. "We can go in through the roof. Some of it fell in; that should give us easy access."

"It'll be difficult to get the core out, but it's not like we have any other options," Michael pointed out.

"Then let's do it," Tessa said. The group climbed on top of the pile of rubble.

"Right…here," Alexys strained as she pushed a metal support out of the way.

"It looks intact," Michael said, shining his flashlight into the hole.

**/break\**

"What's this?" Julian said to himself as he examined the map the satellite was creating. As the satellite passed over a new region of the planet, what appeared to be a large body of water appeared on the screen. A large source of fresh water such as this would be extraordinarily useful. It was 200 miles away. Julian began to wonder if it would be practical to build a pipeline from the lake to the town. He started working through the numbers, but the computer was still sluggish. Suddenly, the system froze entirely.

"Great," he complained. Every single screen in the room went black, and an instant later, the power shut off entirely. "What the hell is going on here?"

/**break**\

"Let's give this a go," Sammi said. She and Brian had managed to roll generator onto a large scrap of metal. Using a length of bundled wires, the pair was able to drag the hulking piece of equipment off of the pile of wreckage. Just then, the scenery around them flashed as though it was a hologram.

"What's going on?" Brian asked.

"I'm not sure. This wasn't supposed to happen." The pair sprinted over to the location where Tessa, Alexys, and Michael were looking around confusedly.

"Tessa," Alexys began. "That's not normal right?"

"No," Tessa answered.

"Do you think…" Michael passed out before he could finish his sentence.

/**break**\

A brilliant and blinding white light entered Tessa's eyes as she slowly opened them.

"Where?" she mumbled drowsily.

"It's alright Doctor. You're safe," a voice emanated from an unknown location. Tessa wondered for a moment if she was trapped inside her mind like Julian was, but then the picture became clear.

"Th-the simulation collapsed again didn't it?" she slurred.

"Yes Doctor," the voice answered. "You will have plenty of time to worry about that later, but you need rest right now." Tessa closed her eyes and tried to fight back tears. Eventually, she was blessed with sleep. When she woke, she was in an entirely different room. Golden shafts of sunlight shone through the curtained window. Her colleague Doctor Mitchell was sitting in one of the chairs in the room. His chin rested on his hands, and his eyes pierced Tessa's flesh just as they always did.

"I can't believe it—," Tessa began, but Mitchell cut her off.

"It wasn't your fault," he said in a calming tone.

"This was the fourth time I've tried this, and the program always fails," Tessa said resentfully.

"Don't beat yourself up about this. Holography is such a new technology; there are bound to be difficulties," Mitchell tried to reassure Tessa.

"How are the others?" She changed the subject.

"They're waiting to see you," Mitchell said.

"Why? So they can kill me?"

"Not quite." He stood and opened the door. The five other members of the team stepped into the room. Tessa managed a half hearted smile.

"We just want to say that we were honored to be a part of this experiment," Alexys said.

"And we're dedicated to any future experiments you wish to conduct," Michael added.

"Thanks for the ride." Julian smiled.

"Fifth time's the charm right?" Sammi joked. For the first time since the experiment began, the group laughed together.

The End

**A/N: **Now to address those pesky flash-forwards… I'm simply going to say that those were meant to show the way the program was meant to continue had it not collapsed. The six were sent to this simulated alien planet for two main reasons: studying colonization of other worlds and testing the abilities of a holographic simulation. Of course, Tessa and the others weren't going to spend the remainder of their lives inside the simulation; therefore, it operated in an accelerated fashion, so the group would not grow old and die. The simulator was, however, capable of making them appear aged. I apologize for the cliché ending, but I'm tired of leaving this story open ended as though I plan to continue it.


End file.
